BlackKnight90
Tourist
How do you give it to them? Raw or do you cook it first?
cost of looking after a large k9?
- Thread starter d3bbievictor
- Start date
How do you give it to them? Raw or do you cook it first?
SigmaTheZeta
Esteemed Citizen of ZV
I pick my brand of pet food by tasting it myself. If I think it tastes like crap, then it is probably crap. Even though animals need a different nutritional balance from what humans need, they eat mostly the same foods that constitute or COULD constitute a large part of our own diet. You can eat organ meats, and in moderation, they can actually be damn good for your health. As a human, you shouldn't make organ meats most of what you eat. It is still food that is good for you. You can tell if that shit is rancid or poorly processed. If you sniff it and want to throw it back into the bag, then throw out the whole bag, and change brands. Bad food is bad food, regardless of the species that it is intended for.
If you have to choose between "palatable but unremarkable" and "lots of flavor but possibly rancid," then choose "palatable but unremarkable." A lot of times, overly rich dog foods have a shorter shelf life, and while your dog might like it, you can smell it fermenting as you open the bag and can see a brigade of flies heading toward you to lay their eggs in it. Maybe your dog doesn't understand that this is not a good thing, but you can understand that this is not a good thing. Think "greek yogurt" not "escargot." Maybe your dog likes richer foods better, but so do you: this does not mean you should eat them every single day.
Unsurprisingly, the better brands out there cost a little bit more money, but remember, there are a lot of expensive brands, out there, that are marketed to you based on flawed beliefs and ideals. Some "raw meat" foods are not really all that good for your dog, but brands sell them to you at a jacked up price because they think you can be led to believe that they are really the superior product. On the other hand, if you purchase a cheap dog food and immediately start sneezing on the saw dust, then you just wasted some fucking money on something you really ought to just toss in the garbage as a lesson learned. Most of the time, the best food for your dog is the "middle of the road" brand, and knowing this will save you a lot of money at the vet.
Anyhow, owning a dog is not really all expensive unless you have almost zero capability of understanding your veterinarian when he says, "Your dog's breed is not even supposed to be capable of living to be 25 fucking years old. This is some freaky shit, dude. I think this sets a record for the breed. I just looked it up. Look: your dog just set a record for his breed, TODAY. I swear to you that anything that I can possibly do, at this point, would ultimately be fruitless, would deeply distress your animal, and would only buy you months. In the name of humanity, let him go." If you cannot accept the fact that your dog is mortal, then your life can get both tragic and expensive. If you trust your vet when your dog is a puppy, then you should trust your vet when your dog is incredibly old. Trusting your veterinarian can not only save you money, but it can save you damage to your heart that takes a long time to heal.
Everyday costs of caring for an ordinary mature age dog that has no weird health problems are not all that bad. Your dog's dining bill costs less than yours. Do not overfeed your dog. Do not waste money on fancy food that is not really all that good for your dog. Do your own grooming because it is not all that hard. You can provide for a healthy young adult dog on essentially poverty level wages.
If you have to choose between "palatable but unremarkable" and "lots of flavor but possibly rancid," then choose "palatable but unremarkable." A lot of times, overly rich dog foods have a shorter shelf life, and while your dog might like it, you can smell it fermenting as you open the bag and can see a brigade of flies heading toward you to lay their eggs in it. Maybe your dog doesn't understand that this is not a good thing, but you can understand that this is not a good thing. Think "greek yogurt" not "escargot." Maybe your dog likes richer foods better, but so do you: this does not mean you should eat them every single day.
Unsurprisingly, the better brands out there cost a little bit more money, but remember, there are a lot of expensive brands, out there, that are marketed to you based on flawed beliefs and ideals. Some "raw meat" foods are not really all that good for your dog, but brands sell them to you at a jacked up price because they think you can be led to believe that they are really the superior product. On the other hand, if you purchase a cheap dog food and immediately start sneezing on the saw dust, then you just wasted some fucking money on something you really ought to just toss in the garbage as a lesson learned. Most of the time, the best food for your dog is the "middle of the road" brand, and knowing this will save you a lot of money at the vet.
Anyhow, owning a dog is not really all expensive unless you have almost zero capability of understanding your veterinarian when he says, "Your dog's breed is not even supposed to be capable of living to be 25 fucking years old. This is some freaky shit, dude. I think this sets a record for the breed. I just looked it up. Look: your dog just set a record for his breed, TODAY. I swear to you that anything that I can possibly do, at this point, would ultimately be fruitless, would deeply distress your animal, and would only buy you months. In the name of humanity, let him go." If you cannot accept the fact that your dog is mortal, then your life can get both tragic and expensive. If you trust your vet when your dog is a puppy, then you should trust your vet when your dog is incredibly old. Trusting your veterinarian can not only save you money, but it can save you damage to your heart that takes a long time to heal.
Everyday costs of caring for an ordinary mature age dog that has no weird health problems are not all that bad. Your dog's dining bill costs less than yours. Do not overfeed your dog. Do not waste money on fancy food that is not really all that good for your dog. Do your own grooming because it is not all that hard. You can provide for a healthy young adult dog on essentially poverty level wages.
Fiber
Tourist
In my country it is not that expensive, but again, our average salary is not that high.
I went to the vet the other day to get pills for my girl (arthritis and brain medicine), 12 days worth is $740ars / 10usd. And I was looking at the price list, for example a spay is $8500Ars (110usd) + anesthesia.
A medium / good foor brand is around 33usd.
A bag lasts around 2 months for my girl. but she eats rice and chicken some days.
I went to the vet the other day to get pills for my girl (arthritis and brain medicine), 12 days worth is $740ars / 10usd. And I was looking at the price list, for example a spay is $8500Ars (110usd) + anesthesia.
A medium / good foor brand is around 33usd.
A bag lasts around 2 months for my girl. but she eats rice and chicken some days.
bandogbitch
Lurker
100lb mastiff type
Monthly:
$120-150 food (raw, kibble and treats)
$35 nail trim including tip
$16 flea preventative
$12 heart worm preventative
$67 vet insurance
(wow just realized how much this fool costs)
vet visits can range anywhere from $25 (if you’re lucky but that’s not including gas etc) to $600.. that’s the most I’ve spent on a non surgical visit. The insurance reimburses 80% of any major procedures.
Monthly:
$120-150 food (raw, kibble and treats)
$35 nail trim including tip
$16 flea preventative
$12 heart worm preventative
$67 vet insurance
(wow just realized how much this fool costs)
vet visits can range anywhere from $25 (if you’re lucky but that’s not including gas etc) to $600.. that’s the most I’ve spent on a non surgical visit. The insurance reimburses 80% of any major procedures.
Recently my vet started offering a new single dose heartworm prevention that's good for a year and only cost I think it was about $60.
This is new. Would you mind detailing this plz.
This is new. Would you mind detailing this plz.
This is new. Would you mind detailing this plz.
dartel
Prized Citizen of ZV
I don't think I have my last vet bill anymore so I wouldn't be able to give the name of the medication without calling my vet to ask about it, but I'll look around to see if I'm wrong. I want to say it was a nasal application. It surprised me how cheap it was for a year's protection too.
Maui69
Citizen of Zooville
Prophylactic medicine for heartworms isn't really a must-have for a dog. Unless you live or go to an area with heartworm disease, you can choose to give it or not. Heartworm (at least in my country) is common only in the Tigre delta and the southern Atlantic coast of Buenos Aires. Where I live, the probability of contracting heartworms is almost null
A quick search showed that ProHeart 12 is the only one approved by the FDA for heartworm and hookworm diseases that lasts a year, for healthy dogs a year old or older
A quick search showed that ProHeart 12 is the only one approved by the FDA for heartworm and hookworm diseases that lasts a year, for healthy dogs a year old or older
KnottyRottyK9
Tourist
$200 every 2 -3 years? Does your vet work out of his basement?
A medium quality food ($50 a 24lb bag) 2-3 a month. $150
Heart guard/nexguard $65
Wellness check with meds $25 (tech visit)
My Rottie chews $25 worth of toys a month
So on a base month, where everything is going smooth, $275-300 a month.
Vet bills can quadruple that number if there’s a problem......
Lots of people talking about pet insurance but, depending on your circumstances, I recommend against it. Instead consider taking the money you would spend on premiums and putting it in a savings account. If you don't have great credit and access to premium cards with similar promotions apply for a Care Credit card. I got one with a $5k limit back when my credit score sucked. If a medical emergency does arise the credit card will let you stretch the payment over up to 24 months interest free.
Insurance companies are designed to make a profit so, while it's a gamble, almost everybody would come out ahead going without insurance.
Insurance companies are designed to make a profit so, while it's a gamble, almost everybody would come out ahead going without insurance.
HappyLV
Tourist
The answer to this question has a huge spectrum. I can imagine some might think a bag of kibble per month would satisfy their level of care. On the other side of the spectrum some might spend literally thousands of dollars per month for food, grooming, toys, entertainment activities, dog training, dog daycare.
We have a giant breed pup and we spend on average $500-$600 a month - mostly for his raw diet- (I find raw and or real food cooked = far less vet trips - just our experience) and in our opinion he lives like a king and is supper happy! ?
We have a giant breed pup and we spend on average $500-$600 a month - mostly for his raw diet- (I find raw and or real food cooked = far less vet trips - just our experience) and in our opinion he lives like a king and is supper happy! ?
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Bloodwolf
Dumpster Diver
Solid based strategy. Stay away from the pet insurance. You don’t save that much and care credit is a jokeHello,
I see scary prices, I work at a vet, I will be able to enlighten you on the prices.
A consultation for the annual chppi + l vaccination booster is 49 € + 5 € for rabies every 3 years as an option in my country.
An anti-flea collar costs € 27 for 6 months of effectiveness.
It is necessary to deworm once per season, so 6 € / 3 months.
The feed cost based on Royal Canin Giant standard kibbles for a 100kg dog is 3.33 € / day.
I am talking about an adult dog because nothing prevents you from doing a good deed and adopting some in a shelter, some structures do not sterilize them, the initial cost of adoption is less than € 300.
A stomach twist on very large dogs is common, we charge 660 € for the operation with the suture on the abdominal wall so that it does not start again. With good preventive methods this can be avoided.
In the event of a rupture of the cruciate ligaments there is the TPLO which costs 1200 €, another method exists for 600 € but could eventually cause osteoarthritis. We must avoid letting the dog be stupid or jump violently.
Basically for the unforeseen create a savings each month of 50 € until reaching 3000 € and do not touch it.
Finally, an incineration costs 250 € with recovery of the ashes.
Count 1500 € / year of life + 250 € cumulative per year of life of unforeseen events, sometimes nothing happens for years and all of a sudden it's galleys after galleys.
Tip for beds, old baby mattresses that people give away protected by tarpaulin, sticks for toys and for treats, ask your loved ones for Christmas gifts to be for the dogthat's how I was able to offer an orthopedic bed to my old dog.